A New Governess
by Angelique Bouchard
Summary: After Maggie leaves Collinwood, the Collins family hires a new governess. Taking place in the midst of the Leviathan storyline.
1. Chapter 1

Dark Shadows Story

Takes place during the Leviathan story line.

Maggie Evans had recently married Joe Haskell. She had decided to stop working for the Collins family.

Roger Collins decided that it was necessary to hire a new governess. His sister, Elizabeth insisted on choosing the applicant. She chose a young woman named Penelope Trevor.

When Penelope had arrived at Collinwood for the first time, David had decided to play a prank on her. She had gone to the west wing to look for him. When she had gotten into Quentin's room, David shut the door and locked her inside. She ran to the door and pounded on it.

"David! Let me out! It's time for you to go to bed!" she heard David snigger. "David, just wait until I tell your father!"

David snickered again.

"If that's so funny, then, just wait until I tell your aunt Elizabeth!" she heard David run from the door.

After a few minutes of waiting to be let out, she started to walk around the room. She noticed an old phonograph. She turned it on, wanting to know if it still worked. A most beautiful song began to play. She could almost hear singing, even though there were no lyrics to be heard. She let it play. Penelope found the music quite soothing. She had almost forgotten that David had locked her in the room when the door opened.

A dark haired man with a sallow complexion stood in the doorway. He held a cane with a silver and gold wolf's head for a handle. He stepped into the room. "I had been told that Elizabeth had hired a new governess." He went to the phonograph. "I see you've discovered Quentin Collins' old phonograph. As I have read, he played it very often."

She watched him as he turned off the phonograph.

He turned, noticing that she had been watching him. "I'm sorry, my dear, I failed to introduce myself. I am Barnabas Collins. I am a distant cousin to Elizabeth. When Elizabeth told me that she couldn't find you, I assumed that young David had locked you somewhere in the west wing. I assumed correctly." He held out his hand. "I'll help you downstairs."

She followed him out of the room, looking back at the old phonograph machine. Barnabas was very charming, but there was a strong appeal about the phonograph.

"Who was Quentin?" she asked him.

"Quentin Collins was an ancestor of the Collins family." Barnabas explained. "He live at Collinwood in 1897. He was a man prone to drinking and erratic behavior. However, he had quite the reputation as a ladies man. Women were quite often charmed by him. As I understand it, he was quite a handsome young man."

"Was he ever married? It seems to me like a man with such charm and a lovely phonograph would have had a wife."

"He did have a wife. Jenny. They had twins. A boy and a girl. Quentin had left her, not knowing that Jenny was pregnant. When he returned to Collinwood, the family chose not to let him know about Jenny or the children. Edward Collins had seen to it that the children were taken from Jenny Collins and that they were raised away from her. Jenny was eventually strangled to death."

Penelope gasped. "Who…?"

"Quentin killed her in self defense. She had discovered that he had returned to Collinwood and attempted to kill him."

When the pair had reached the drawing room, Penelope had been quite enthralled by stories of the Collins family history.

Penelope immediately noticed David standing in the drawing room as they walked in. "David, get to bed. It's past your bed-time."

"David, you shouldn't have locked her in the west wing." Barnabas told him.

"I didn't do it." David said, almost nonchalantly.

Barnabas seemed to see through it. "David, don't lie to me. Why did you do it?"

"Oh, I don't know. I guess I just thought it would be funny."

"It wasn't funny." Penelope told him. "If it hadn't been for your cousin Barnabas, I don't know how much longer I would have been trapped in there."

"Apologize, David." Barnabas instructed.

"I'm sorry, Penelope. I won't do it again." David said with a slightly mischievous look on his face.

"Now, David, I want you to go to bed." Barnabas told him.

"You can't tell me what to do."

"David, get to bed." Penelope instructed.

"I don't have to." David said.

"Penelope, why don't you go to bed yourself? I will take care of David." Barnabas said.

When Penelope was out of hearing range, David said to Barnabas, "We need to do something about her. She suspects too much."

"David, we are not in danger from her. Everything will go according to plan."

"Michael is mad because she made me leave the shop."

"I'll talk to Michael. Until he is an adult he must do as I say. Did Michael tell you to lock her in the west wing?"

"Yes, he said that she had to be punished."

"Michael is beginning to expect too much. I will discipline him myself."

Penelope slept restlessly that night until 2 a.m. She finally sat up in her bed and went to the west wing. She was pleased to find that Quentin's room was not locked. She went inside and put one hand on the phonograph, wanting to turn it on. She worried it would wake someone up, and she would be in trouble with Elizabeth. She was about to leave the room when a woman with short brown hair walked in with a man.

"Dr. Hoffman, I-" she began, but Julia cut her off.

"Oh, it's alright. I'm using Quentin Collins' room to try to help this man remember who he is." Julia turned on the phonograph after it became clear that Penelope did not intend on leaving the room. "Are you sure you don't remember this, Mr. Douglas?"

"I've told you. I don't remember it!" the man said, exasperatedly.

"How can that help him remember who he is?" Penelope asked.

"Well, it's…complicated…" Julia said slowly.

"I still don't see how-"

"Dr. Hoffman thinks that I'm Quentin Collins!" the man said, almost drunkenly. "Isn't that right, Doctor Hoffman?"

"Grant-" Julia began.

"This isn't going to help me! It's ridiculous!"

"Mr. Douglas a lot of strange things have happened at Collinwood and in Collinsport over the years. It wouldn't be surprising to me. Stranger things have happened."

"I'm sure."

Julia seemed to be thinking. "Do you remember a Magda Rakosi?" she asked.

"I don't remember anything! I told you that!"

"Evan Hanley?"

"No!"

"How about Count Andreas Petofi?"

"No."

"Beth Chavez?"

"I don't know any of these names. Why do you keep asking?"

"They were people that Quentin Collins knew. Your resemblance to him is too uncanny. Do you remember Amanda Harris?"

"No. What's next, a Angie something?"

"If that's the way you want it. Angelique."

Grant seemed to show the first sign of remembering something. "For some reason that name sounds too familiar."

"It's because you knew her as Quentin Collins."

"I can't be Quentin Collins! He lived one hundred years ago!"

Penelope listened to the argument, wanting it to end. She couldn't understand it.

"You know, you do have a guest here." Grant said.

"Actually, she's the new governess for the Collins family." Julia told him. "She tutors David Collins and Amy Jennings. She also takes care of them and makes sure that they go to bed on time."

"I have a question about David." Penelope said.

"Oh, what's that?"

"Has he always played tricks on people?"

"The boy has been ill in the past. But, yes, he always has played tricks on people."

"Well, then something has to be done about that. I don't want him locking me in anymore rooms."

"A while ago he did that to Maggie Evans. In fact, he locked her in this room."

"Do you know anything about Quentin Collins?" Grant asked Penelope.

"I only know what Barnabas Collins has told me."

"And what did he tell you?" Julia asked.

"He said a lot. It was quite interesting. He described Quentin Collins as a ladies man."

"As I understand it, he was quite the ladies man." Julia noted.

"He didn't even say anything about there being someone who looks like Quentin Collins around here."

"Barnabas has been behaving strangely. But even if he hadn't been, he probably wouldn't have said anything about it. Barnabas is generally a good person."

"You make it sound like he isn't always a good man."

"I think we've done enough now." Julia said. She opened the door and stood, holding it open. The man walked out of the room, but Julia still held the door open.

"You should be getting back to bed." Julia said. "David and Amy can be quite a handful. You should have your energy."

Penelope began to get the feeling that Julia Hoffman didn't like her.


	2. Chapter 2

"Mrs. Stoddard, may I look through your family history book?" Penelope asked Elizabeth Stoddard.

Elizabeth looked at her. "Yes, of course." The ebony haired mistress of Collinwood watched the young governess leave and then come back with a thick book. "Barnabas tells me that David and Michael locked you in the West Wing."

"Yes, they did. That's why I asked to look at the Collins family history."

"Oh?" 

"They locked me in the room of a man named Quentin Collins,"

"Quentin Collins?" Elizabeth asked as if the name sent fear into every fiber of her being.

"Is something wrong, Mrs. Stoddard?"

"No, I…I just didn't expect David to lock you in Quentin Collins room,"

"But you looked like the name frightened you,"

"It didn't…"

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. There isn't much that is known about Quentin Collins,"

Penelope started to turn the pages. Suddenly, she stopped, an unknown memory going into her thoughts.

"One day, Penny, you goin' to work for the Collins family. I can feel it in my old Gypsy bones. I knew the Collins family. Ah, I knew them well. Especially Quentin Collins. He was married to my sister, Jenny. Poor Jenny…Poor Jenny…You old enough to know 'bout it now…Oh, poor Lenore…I cursed my niece and her children, and their children…The Hand…Oh, how I wish The Hand had ended the curse…Petofi took his hand back from the Gypsies…If I hadn't stolen it…"

"Stolen what, Grandma?"

The Hand…The Hand…The price I paid…Your poor Grandpa Sandor…If I hadn't stolen The Hand, he wouldn't have died…And Barnabas…"

"Who is Barnabas?"

"I start from the beginning. I tell you the whole story…I tell you about Barnabas and Quentin Collins, eh?

"Yes, Grandma Rakosi."

"Penelope, did you hear me?"

"What?"

"I'm going to check on Paul,"

"Mrs. Stoddard?"

"Yes?"

Would you mind if I went to the Old House?"

"Not at all. Do you know how to get there?"

"Yes, G-Barnabas told me,"

"Oh, alright."

Penelope never heard Elizabeth's cry of outrage at the discovery that Paul Stoddard was missing.

Hours later, Barnabas Collins was shocked to find Penelope waiting for him outside of the Old House.

"Penelope, I didn't expect you to be here," he said pleasantly.

"I know who you really are," she said.

"Really?"

"Yes, you are the original Barnabas Collins."

"How do you know this?" Barnabas was shocked.

"I remembered something of my life before coming here today. I remembered a conversation with my great-great grandmother, Magda Rakosi."

"Magda?"

"She passed all of her secrets on to me. She told me all about the curse that made you into a vampire and the curse that she put on Quentin Collins. She told me all about Count Petofi. She knew that someday I'd be coming here, so she took great lengths to protect me from all harm. She's spoken many times about the prices she paid to protect me."

"Tell no one of this conversation or what Magda told you."

"I already know that. I'm not a fool. Magda left a message for you."

"A message?"

"Yes," she handed him an envelope.

Barnabas quickly read the message inside. The message was brief and direct.

_Beware of Jabez Hawkes._

_Penelope is immune to the Leviathan's power._

Barnabas looked at Penelope, "who is this Jabez Hawkes?"

"I don't know. I just did as grandmamma wanted me to." She seemed deep in thought for a while. Finally, she looked at him, "is there a werewolf in Collinsport?"

"Yes, there is. Did Magda tell you this too?"

"No, not as far as I know. I can feel that it's a descendant of Quentin Collins."

"He is. His name is Chris Jennings. I have something to ask you."

"What is that?"

"What did you do to me in Quentin's room?"

Penelope frowned, "I don't understand."

"The Leviathan's hold on me lessened when I met you. I'd like to know how that is."

"I think it just happens. I don't know the full extent of what I am. I still don't remember everything. I don't know if I ever will or if it's even possible."

"I need you to help me fight the Leviathans. You have some sort of power. You have to help me get out of their hold and save Josette."

She frowned again, "Josette died on Widow's Hill, like she was supposed to. The Leviathans lied. They never had her."

"How…"

"I can feel it. I feel her."

"I see. Josette is safe?"

"Yes, we need to go to Collinwood. Elizabeth was here earlier looking for you. Paul is missing."

"Then we must go." He offered his arm to her. "I will walk you back."


	3. Chapter 3

Penelope walked into Collinwood with Barnabas. When she looked at Elizabeth, she knew something was wrong. "Mrs. Stoddard, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Paul is dead," Elizabeth said.

Penelope felt pity for Elizabeth, even though she knew Elizabeth felt no real emotion at Paul Stoddard's death. She went over to Elizabeth and hugged her. As she hugged the mistress of Collinwood, it was like a cloud lifted off her employer.

"What happened?" Elizabeth asked, pulling away from Penelope.

Gently, Barnabas explained what had happened and that she must pretend she was still sided with the Leviathan's, as he would have to now that he was no longer under their control.

Julia walked into the room, hearing this. She asked what was happening and things had to be explained all over again.

When Julia was alone with Barnabas and Penelope, she and Barnabas went over what had happened to them in 1897. Penelope didn't interrupt at all. She simply sat there and waited for them to finish.

"Penelope is related to Magda," Barnabas said eventually.

Julia frowned. "The Gypsy woman who put the curse on Quentin?"

"Yes," Barnabas said, nodding his head. "She's somehow protected from the Leviathan's power."

"Do you know how that was done?" Julia asked her, interested.

Penelope shook her head, not remembering anything about it. "I remember bits and pieces here and there." She was glad that Julia seemed to like her now. "I do know who put the spell of protection over me. I remember that much. She would come to check on me sometimes. I vaguely remember that when I was a child she would bring someone for me to play with while she was performing the spell. She did the spell several times; I don't remember why. I just remember that she did. She was nice to me. She talked a lot about when she lived in Martinique."

"Martinique?" Barnabas asked suddenly. "Are you sure it was Martinique?"

Penelope thought for a minute. "I'm pretty sure it was. The more I think about her, the more I remember of my past."

"What was her name?" Julia asked, realizing what Barnabas must have been thinking. "Or can you not remember it?"

"Oh, I remember her name very clearly. Her name is Angelique," Penelope answered. At the looks on Barnabas and Julia's faces, she smiled nervously. "What's wrong? She's always protected me and she's always been kind to me."

"Where is she?" Barnabas asked.

"I don't know. She just comes to wherever I am when it's time for her to strengthen the spell. Do you know her?"

"Well, what's her last name?" Julia asked.

"I don't know. I don't remember if I was ever told what it was."

"If she knew you were in the same area as the Leviathans, would it make her come here?"

"I haven't a clue. Oh, please don't do anything to Angelique. I can feel that if something happens to her that the spell will be useless. And don't do anything to Violet."

"Who's Violet?"

"I…I don't remember. I can't remember who she is. But she will come with Angelique when she needs to strengthen her spell."

"When Angelique comes to you, I want you to ask her about the Leviathans," Barnabas said. "It's important that you do this. Do you understand?"

"Yes. If anyone knows anything about them, I would think that she would. Just please, don't do anything to her."

"As long as she doesn't do anything to me, I won't do anything to her," Barnabas said.

Penelope was silent for some time. "She has a painting by Charles Delaware Tate," she said finally.

Barnabas and Julia stared at her.


	4. Chapter 4

Penelope's sleep was disturbed by unusual dreams that night. She dreamt that she was sitting in front of a fireplace while Angelique did one of her strengthening spells. Barnabas and Julia were both in the dream, but they were silent and unmoving, like statues. She had no idea what the dream meant. Her dreams about Angelique had never had anyone but her and Angelique before.

She now sat awake in bed, staring off into a corner, pondering her dream. She'd been taught by someone that all dreams had a meaning. She just couldn't remember who had told her that. She didn't remember if it was her grandmother or someone else.

Silently she got up and wandered around Collinwood until she found herself in Quentin's room. She didn't even remember getting up. Penelope looked around the room. The phonograph sat at its table tantalizingly. It seemed as if she had been drawn to it. She started to walk towards it, but stopped herself. She could feel that something wasn't quite right. There was a presence in the room.

The door slammed shut. Startled Penelope turned to look and found herself face to face with a woman who had wild, brown curls.

"We're going to have a little talk," the woman said to her. "Yes, Penelope, we are going to have a long talk…about Quentin…and about my sister."

Penelope could only stare as the woman came closer and closer.

Barnabas had a difficult time convincing Michael he hadn't turned. The boy was diabolical, but he was also smart. He didn't think Michael really believed him, but he tried his best to look like he was still on his side. Finally, the boy turned away from him.

"I believe you," Michael said. "But the next time Penelope Trevor interferes, I want her killed."

"Until you are ready, I make the decisions, not you, Michael," Barnabas stated. "Besides, you don't know that the Leviathans could kill her."

"They can kill her!" Michael shouted.

"She could be protected by a sort of power that the Leviathans can't affect. She could be immune to anything the Leviathans could do."

"Hmm…" Michael thought a moment. "I hadn't thought of that before. If she interferes again, you must kill her. If a Leviathan can't kill her, you will do it. If you fail, I'll bring your curse back."

"I understand," Barnabas said. He didn't want to argue with this boy any more than he had to. If it ever came down to it, he might be able to fake Penelope's death.

The door to Quentin's room opened. Angelique stood in the doorway. "Jenny! Leave your niece alone!" she ordered.

"I'm only warning the girl," Jenny said.

"I will give any and all warnings that I find necessary. Get out and leave her alone!"

"I can't talk to her about my sister either?"

"No, leave us."

Jenny disappeared, but only after looking to Penelope and giving a little wave and a smile.

Angelique went into the room and took Penelope's arm, starting to lead her from the room. "Come with me. You'll go back to bed and I'll do the spells tomorrow."

"That was Grandmama's sister?" Penelope asked her.

"Yes. That is a story you will remember hearing in time. It's part of the spell. With the spell comes sporadic loss of memory. You can only wait for it to return. You'll forget about the Leviathans soon, but you will remember when prompted, I'll see to that. Only certain people can prompt the memories, but you will remember when prompted."

Penelope allowed Angelique to lead her back to bed. After a few minutes she closed her eyes. Angelique passed a hand over Penelope's face and Penelope fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

"This may be the last peaceful slumber you will have for a long, long time. There isn't much I can to for that."


	5. Chapter 5

Penelope was woken by Amy in the morning. "What are you doing in here?" she asked her.

"I woke up and you weren't up, so I decided to wake you up. You were sleeping real hard too."

Penelope sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Leave me alone so I can get dressed. I'll see you in a little while. Ok?"

Amy nodded. "Ok." She left the room, skipping a little bit. Penelope shook her head at the amount of energy a child could have in the morning.

As she got dressed, she wondered when Angelique wanted her for the spell and where they would be. For some reason, she didn't think she wanted Barnabas or Julia there, not after the dream she had before Angelique came.

When she walked into the drawing room, she found Roger looking at her.

"I suppose I must have been from last night's excitement," he said to Carolyn. "Amy told me that Penelope slept a little late."

"Who can blame her?!" Carolyn burst. "He was my father! If someone hadn't sedated me, I wouldn't have slept at all last night!"

"I am in the room, you know," Penelope said. "I know when someone's talking about me, especially if they're looking right at me while they're talking about me."

The telephone abruptly rang. Roger answered it. After a moment, he handed it to Penelope. "It's for you. I think it's the agency Elizabeth hired you from."

Penelope took the receiver. "Hello?"

Angelique's voice drifted through, "Collinsport Inn, eight o'clock tonight. Not a moment later."

"Oh, alright. I understand."

"Well?" Roger asked as she hung up.

"They found something they forgot to put in my file. They're sending it to Elizabeth," she answered easily.

Roger nodded his head solemnly.

Amy came rushing into the room and clung to Penelope. "Penelope! David's being mean!"

"What did he do?" Penelope asked.

Amy motioned for her to lean down so she could whisper.

"What was it?" Roger asked as Penelope brought her head up.

"David said that…" she stopped, looking at Carolyn and quietly told him what David had said.

He frowned. "I'll deal with the boy. That is not a thing to say about a dead person, even if they were of an unsavory character."

That Night

Penelope walked into the Collinsport Inn. She asked for Angelique Rumson and was told a room number. She went there and found that there was a fireplace, just like there was in her dream. Angelique was there waiting for her. There was also someone sitting in a wheelchair in the corner of the room.

"Violet wanted to see you," Angelique told her. "You can talk with her after I perform the strengthening spell."

Violet looked up from under long, black hair. She smiled at Penelope, but didn't say anything.

"Sit there," Angelique said to Penelope. Just as she was about to begin the spell, the door opened. Barnabas and Julia came into the room.

"We can't let you do this without knowing Angelique's real intentions," Julia said.

"Get away from Mommy!" Violet had gotten up from her chair and was walking towards Barnabas and Julia on wobbly legs. "Stay away from my mommy!"

The two stood frozen, not saying a word or knowing what to think.

"Please sit, Barnabas, Doctor Hoffman," Angelique said. "Violet really doesn't want to hurt anyone, but she will if she thinks I'll be hurt. Please step away from her and sit. She's really quite harmless."

"Harmless?" Julia asked. "She just threatened us!"

"Please, do as she asks," Penelope pleaded. "I remember what Violet can do. I don't want her to do that to you. I like both of you and it drains her to do it."

Reluctantly Barnabas and Julia sat down and waited for Angelique to speak.


	6. Chapter 6

"That's it?" Julia asked. "You made a deal with Magda to protect her descendants?"

"Yes," Angelique answered. "She asked and I accepted. That's all there is to it. There are no ulterior motives. I perform these spells to protect Penelope because she is more important than myself. She's the most important person there could possibly be at this time. I have been performing these spells her whole life because of who she is. Her protection is more important than my own life. I will expend my life with a spell of protection, if I need to. She is that important to me. She is that important to the world."

"And did you know that she could be involved with a situation concerning the Leviathans?" Barnabas asked her.

"I knew it was possible. Her own power goes against the Leviathans. If I didn't do any of these spell, they would have killed her long ago. You know the dangers presented by the Leviathans. I'm sure you'd rather have as much chances as you possibly can to defeat them."

"I'm still not sure of your intentions."

"Violet," Angelique whispered. "Go and use the bathroom for a while. I need to speak to these people alone."

Violet looked at Angelique for a long moment before turning her wheelchair around and heading into the bathroom, opening the door by herself. Soon after the door closed, the water turned on.

"Violet is a victim of what can happen to a person who runs across the Leviathans' path. She constantly expends power to protect herself from what their power constantly does to her. There was nothing I could to for her when she was born. She had already been affected by them. She protected me from the womb. When you run across the Leviathans anywhere, especially in the Underworld, there are a lot of dangers. Because I was against them, they tried to destroy me. Violet protected me from that fate."

"Like a life preserver?" Julia asked.

"More than that. She used power she already possessed. She was more than just something to live for. I lived, even in Hell. I'm sure that before you met Barnabas, you never thought it was possible to live beyond. Violet is proof of that. She was conceived in the world of the living. I carried her in Hell, but because of her conception, I was allowed to give birth in the land of the living, otherwise, it wouldn't have been allowed."

Barnabas looked to Penelope. "Do you believe her?"

"Yes," Penelope answered. "I know it is the truth."

"Then I will allow this. For you, I'll allow it. I believe that this really is being done for your protection."

"I need to perform the spell soon. Anything else can wait," Angelique said. She turned and opened the bathroom door. "Violet, you can come out now. Stop playing with the water and come out."

The water turned off and Violet came out sheepishly. She looked at Barnabas for a few moments, then wheeled herself over. She took his hand and held onto it.

"She must like you. She's never done that before. You're lucky. She doesn't like many people." Angelique turned towards Penelope and situated her in front of the fireplace.

Violet reached for Julia's hand too. When Julia didn't come, Violet cried out.

"Please take her hand before she becomes upset, Julia," Angelique said. "It's not often that she does this. She asks for very little."

Julia took Violet's hand and Violet smiled, holding both Julia and Barnabas' hands.

Suddenly, both realized they couldn't speak, even if they'd wanted to. They knew they couldn't leave Violet's side yet. She wouldn't allow it. Angelique needed intense quiet.

It took hours for Angelique to complete the spell. When it was over, Violet released Barnabas and Julia's hands. They found themselves able to speak again.

"What did she do?" Barnabas asked.

"She did nothing," Angelique answered. "I did it through her. I didn't need to do much. The fact that she wanted to hold your hands made it easier to get the quiet that was needed."

Barnabas looked at Violet, regarding her. She had the looks of a Collins. "I think we're going to have to have a talk about her, now."

"Very well, we will talk about her. Julia could you take Penelope and Violet back to Collinwood with you. I'll be along to collect Violet after our talk."

Julia looked at Barnabas. He nodded that it was alright, so Julia took Penelope and Violet to Collinwood.


End file.
